ABSTRACT
The clastogenic effect of azadirachtin of neemix-4.5 was investigated in SWR/J mouse bone marrow cells. Males and females, 5 each per treatment time, aged 10-12 weeks and weighing 31.7-33.8 g, were orally administrated 9.0 mg/kg [1/10 LD50] of azadirachtin solution. A control group [5 males and 5 females] received only sterile distilled water. The animals were sacrificed 6, 12, 24, 48 or 72 h post- treatment. The chromosome preparations were obtained from bone marrow cells. Chromatid and chromosomal aberrations were investigated in 50 metaphases per animal. No significant differences in the frequency of chromosomal aberrations or in the percentage of mitotic index were observed between the treated male and female mice at any time intervals used. Hence, data from the two sexes were pooled when analyzed statistically. In the prersent study, the dose level 9.0 mg/kg body weight of azadirachtin of neemix-4.5 did not induce any significant [p>0.05] changes in the percentages of mitotic indices or in chromosomal aberrations in the bone marrow cells of treated animals at all time intervals tested compared with the control group. As the pharmacokinetics of azadirachtin is unknown, the essentially negative results in the present study may be due to a lack of genotoxic potential